As we age, some of us will lose teeth due to disease, injury, or simple daily wear. In addition to bringing about unwanted changes to a person's facial appearance, missing teeth have a negative effect on that person's confidence and self-esteem. With the advent of implant dentistry, however, those who are missing one, two or several teeth no longer have to accept a lifetime of embarrassment and inconvenience. Dental implants, sturdy titanium posts that are anchored directly into the jawbone and topped with realistic replacement teeth, provide the security and usability of permanently placed teeth.
Dental implants are a restorative dentistry option that allows patients to replace missing teeth with ones that look, feel, and perform like their own. During the first step of this procedure, a doctor skilled in implant dentistry surgically places a titanium screw or post in the patient's jaw. After the gums have healed around the embedded post, a replacement tooth is attached to the top of it.
Dental implants are a substantial improvement over conventional dentures. They're more stable and user-friendly than many other teeth replacement options, and because the posts that secure dental implants in place are integrated into the jaw, they also help prevent bone loss and gum recession (because the pressure of chewing on the implant's crown stimulates the underlying bone and prevents it from deteriorating from disuse). However, some medical circumstances—including radiation therapy in the mouth area, and diseases such as diabetes—lower the success rate for implant dentistry. For that reason, patients must undergo a rigorous screening process before they may proceed with implant dentistry.
Patients can choose from a variety of options to replace missing teeth. In addition to dental implants, there are removable partial dentures held in place by wire clips; fixed dental bridges cemented into position by crowns placed on the teeth adjacent to an empty space; and traditional full dentures.
The concept behind dental implant surgery was developed by a Swedish orthopedic surgeon and researcher, Per Ingvar Braånemark, who found that a titanium implant could naturally bond with bone material. Termed “osseointegration,” this phenomenon ushered in what is now considered the most ideal method of permanently replacing missing teeth.
The surgical procedure used to insert dental implants may be performed under local anesthetic. The implant dentist begins by making an incision in the gums, exposing the bone in the jaw, and making the holes to accommodate dental implant placement. The dental implants are then secured in the jawbone, and the gums are closed with stitches.
Implant dentistry is a comprehensive tooth replacement process rather than a quick fix. Once a dental implant has been placed during oral surgery, the bone is given time to grow and fuse around the implant base. At the time of implant placement surgery, the objective is to achieve primary stability of the implant fixture prior to considering immediate provisionalization or restoration. For dental implants in the upper jaw, the osseointegration period will take approximately six months. For those in the lower jaw, it will take approximately three months.
When the bone has successfully grown around the dental implant following oral surgery, a dentist will add an artificial tooth to the post. This process varies depending on the types of dental implants used. After the posts are topped with prosthetic teeth, any necessary dental bridges or full/partial dentures can also be inserted into the configuration.
Factoring in the time it requires for the gums to heal around the posts after dental implant placement, traditional dental implant surgery generally requires from five months to two years to complete. However, a new version of the procedure enables some patients to literally have “Teeth in a Day (or Hour).” This innovative dental implant restoration protocol allows patients to get their new teeth all at once, dramatically reducing treatment time and immediately restoring the mouth to full function. However, “Teeth in a Day (or Hour)” does not include the initial appointments and necessary preparation for the implant surgery.
This innovative dental implant restoration protocol is based upon the developments of immediate loading of Brånemark Implants. The concept of immediate function on endosseous implants has historic precedents in dentistry. The biologic and mechanical results of treatment using endosseous implants such as blades and tripodial pins, led to their demise and a moratorium on such treatment over three decades ago. In the early 1980's the process of osseointegration was introduced to North America following a stringent protocol developed by the Swedish physician and researcher, Per Ingvar Brånemark. This protocol required the undisturbed and unloaded healing of bone around the implants for a specified period of time prior to prosthetic application. Recently, however, a small number of clinical researchers have modified Brånemark's original protocol to begin loading Brånemark implants early or even immediately in specific areas. Success rates have varied depending upon the quality and quantity of bone; however, the concept has proven to be effective for certain individuals.
The cost of dental implants varies depending on the number of missing teeth and the area of the country in which the implant dentistry is performed. The cost of dental implants ranges from $2,000 to $4,000. Hence, it is desirable for science and technology to continue to develop to minimize the cost to patients.
Fortunately, financing is available for people who require advanced treatment such as dental implant placement. Third party financing companies can provide credit and many dental offices offer installment plans for their dental implant patients to help manage the cost of replacing missing teeth.
Overall, the technology of dental implants has significantly improved the options and quality for dental implant services. Such technologies as guided surgery based on three dimensional CT (computed tomography) imaging and model-based guides have given the industry significant options for patient care. However, to provide these services requires the coordination for several functional specialties, including medical restoration, oral surgery, computer imaging, and dental manufacturing laboratories.
More specifically, there are several professional functions and services necessary to provide dental implants to patients. These functions and services include treatment coordinator, financial services, direct marketing, restorative doctor or prosthodontists, oral surgeon, imaging services, and dental implant laboratory. In the prior art, several or all of these functions and services are not co-located. Accordingly, despite the advancements in technology offering such hype as “teeth in a day”, this reality can not be achieved under the prior art conditions. The lack of an efficient physical arrangements results in significant delays in providing service and additional costs. The present invention addresses these issues.